The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for performing fingernail manicures, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for applying a French manicure to fingernails which already have existing artificial fingernail enhancements.
The human fingernail is made up of keratinised epidermal cells. The nail plate is a hard keratin coating that protects the fingertip and underlying tissue. The nail bed, which contains blood vessels which supply nutrients to the fingertip, is the portion of skin upon which the nail plate rests. The matrix is that part of the nail bed which extends beneath the nail root and contains lymph and blood vessels. The matrix produces the nail, the cells undergoing a reproducing and hardening process. The lunula, or half moon, is located at the base of the nail. The area under the lunula is the front of the matrix. The free edge is the portion of the nail plate not attached to the nail bed, the free edge being the tips of natural fingernails.
Various methods and devices are known for enhancing the appearance of fingernails and to protect the nail plate from damage from biting, picking, and excessive moisture. Artificial fingernail enhancements are any procedure which lengthens, thickens or alters the appearance of the fingernail through artificial means. Such procedures include the application of artificial tips, acrylics, gels, and fabric wraps. Artificial tips provide an extension of a person""s fingernails. The tips are glued to the nail plate for added length and an overlay is applied to strengthen the top and to add support. Acrylics, which are a combination of liquids and powder, are polymers which may be used for overlays and for molding artificial tips. Acrylics provide a material which is flexible, strong and which mimics the flexibility and strength of the natural nail. Gels are similar to acrylics in that they both can be used to extend the length of the nails and make them stronger. Like acrylics, gels can be applied over the natural nail or over artificial nail tips. While often referred to as not being acrylic, gels are based on the same methacrylate and acrylate families as acrylics. However, gels are odorless and are usually cured by exposure to ultraviolet light. A fabric wrap is an application of a silk or linen fabric which is glued to the nail plate and then filed and buffed to a smooth glossy finish.
A French tip manicure, or French manicure, refers to the use of two colors of acrylic applied to the nails to produce a color variation between the natural nail and the tip. The extended tips of the nails may be molded using acrylic, gel or fabric wrap. Alternatively, pre-formed artificial tips may be applied to the natural nail. When pre-formed artificial tips are used, an overlap of the extended tip over the natural nail is necessary. The pre-formed artificial tip extends rearwardly partially covering the natural nail. Unless specified otherwise, the terms xe2x80x9ctip,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9ctips,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cartificial tipsxe2x80x9d shall henceforth refer to both molded tips and the pre-formed artificial tips previously described.
The tips of a French manicure are usually white in color. The base of the nail is usually overlayed with a pink or flesh tone acrylic. The contrasting colors between the tip and the natural nail provide a sharp and distinct border which stylishly and gracefully adorns the hands of the wearer. This border between the tip and the natural nail formed by the contrasting colors is usually referred to as the xe2x80x9csmile line.xe2x80x9d However, this border actually mimics the appearance of natural nails, where the xe2x80x9csmile linexe2x80x9d is the border between the pink or flesh colored nail plate overlying the nail bed, and the white free edge of the nail plate extending past the nail bed. For purposes of this disclosure, the term xe2x80x9cartificial smile linexe2x80x9d will be used to describe the border between the tip and the natural nail created by the contrasting colors. The term xe2x80x9cnatural smile linexe2x80x9d refers to the border between the naturally pink or flesh colored nail plate overlying the nail bed, and the white free edge of the natural nail plate extending past the nail bed.
As the nail plate grows, a new portion of nail plate at the lunula, adjacent to the cuticle, will not be coated with the acrylic overlay. This growth causes the tip and the artificial smile line to extend further from the fingertip than when the tip was initially applied. The acrylic may also lift away from the natural nail, which allows the accumulation of moisture and/or bacteria between the natural nail and the acrylic. It is therefore necessary for artificial nail applications, including French manicures, to be periodically maintained, usually about every two weeks. During this maintenance, the manicurist will prepare the natural nail for applying new acrylic or gel to the new growth area by trimming away lifted overlay and shortening the tips. A groove is created for application of new acrylic or gel. The manicurist will apply a new layer of white acrylic to the tips, forming a new artificial smile line approximately overlaying the natural smile line, which is usually visible through the pink or flesh colored acrylic or gel. Finally, new pink or flesh colored acrylic or gel will be added to the new growth area over the lunula.
The appearance of a French manicure is enhanced when the artificial tips are the same length on all fingers, when the artificial smile lines are uniformly located on the fingernail, and when the white French tips are the same length from the artificial smile line to the end of the tip on each finger. However, the known practice is for a manicurist to approximate or xe2x80x9ceyeballxe2x80x9d these dimensions to obtain a set of generally uniform nails. However, depending upon the skills of the particular manicurist, this practice can be inexact, time consuming, and yield less than satisfactory results. An apparatus and method which enables a manicurist to easily obtain a set of uniform nails is desirable.
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus which meets the need identified above.
The disclosed apparatus is a fingernail marking drill bit used in combination with a motorized handset. The drill bit is comprised of a shank having a proximal end and a distal end, having a first circular blade attached at its center to the distal end and a second circular blade attached at its center to the shank between the first blade and the proximal end. A gauging segment, which may be used to determine the length of a french manicure, is defined by the distance along the shank between the first blade and the second blade. The blades may be separately attached to the shank, or, as an alternative embodiment, the blades and shank may be configured from a single piece of material.
In another embodiment, the marking drill bit comprises a shank having a proximal end and a distal end. A barrel, having a central axis, extends from the distal end of the shank, the central axis of the barrel coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the shank. The barrel has a top and a bottom, where the bottom of the barrel is adjacent to the distal end of the shank. A first circular blade comprising a first scribing surface is fashioned at the front of the barrel, and a second circular blade, comprising a second scribing surface, is fashioned at the bottom of the barrel. A gauging segment is defined by the axial distance along the barrel between the first blade and the second blade, wherein the gauging segment may be used to determine the length of a french manicure. A first circular stop may be fashioned at the front of the barrel adjacent to the first blade, where the first circular stop has a smaller diameter than the first blade, such that the first circular stop limits the depth of penetration of the first blade into the nail plate. A second circular stop may be fashioned at the bottom of the barrel adjacent to the second blade, the second circular stop having a smaller diameter than the second blade, such that the second circular stop limits the depth of penetration of the second blade into the nail tip.
A method of rendering a french manicure is also disclosed. This method comprises the following steps: (1) the entire nail is prepared by trimming away any lifted overlay; (2) the location of the natural smile line underneath the existing nail enhancement is determined; (3) a drill bit used in combination with a motorized handset is placed on the fingernail, where the drill bit comprises the features of the disclosed apparatus; (4) the first blade is oriented so that the first blade is aligned above and generally parallel to the smile line; (5) marks are scribed in the fingernail by activating the motorized handset; (6) the fingernail is trimmed so that the point of the new tip is located at the mark scribed by the second blade; (7) the fingernail is backfilled with backfill material; (8) a first color is applied to the portion of the fingernail from the mark scribed by the first blade to the tip; and (9) a second color, contrasting with the first color, is applied between the mark scribed by the first blade to the cuticle. A guide attached to the front of the motorized handset provides further ease in scribing the nail in the correct location.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.